405 
T8 

' 1 



A TREATISE 

ON 

SILVER FOX 
FARMING 



PRICE $1.50 



FRANK F. TUPLIN 

R. P. D. MO. 1. ALPINE. MICHIGAN 



A TREATISE 

on 

SILVER FOX 
FARMING 



PRICE $1.50 



COPYRIGHT 1921 By 

FRANK P. TUPLIN 

R. F. D. MO. I. ALPINE, MICHIGAN 



4p 




Mr. Frank F. Tuplin 

©CLA617215 



MR. FRANK F. TUPLIN 



Mr. Frank F. Tuplin procured his first pair of Silver Foxes in 
the year 1905. Now his name ranks among the highest of those 
connected with the fur farming industry, and the foxes bred by him 
are considered among the purest strains in Canada and the United 
States. 

Mr. Tuplin was born at New Annan, Prince Edward Island, 
Canada. In his early days he was engaged in mixed farming, at 
which he achieved a fair measure of success. But, not satisfied with 
his achievements and learning of the potential profits to be derived 
from Silver Fox Farming, he borrowed $1,000.00, which he invested 
in foxes. He possesses in a marked degree the qualities that make 
for an ultimate success, and, although acquiring but little during 
the first two years in business except in the nature of experience 
which made him a subject of much ridicule to his friends and neigh- 
bors, he stuck to his new undertaking, confident that he would win 
out in the end. 

His ambition was to make $10,000.00, which he achieved in 1910, 
when he broke the combine existing among foxmen, and made the 
first public sale. In 1912 the proceeds from stock raised and bred 
by Mr. Tuplin netted him $250,000.00, and since that time he has 
sold a great many pairs of foxes for breeding purposes, placed many 
pelts on the market, and so extended his business that today his 
name is connected with a chain of fox farms, of which he is almost 
the sole owner, extending from Prince Edward Island, Canada, thru 
Alpine, Lakewood and Traverse City, Michigan, to Houghton on the 
far off shores of Lake Superior. He is also instrumental in making 
Michigan the center of the fox industry in the United States. The 
mere fact that Mr. Tuplin has built up such a stupendous business 
is proof of his remarkable foresight and initiative in coping with new 
conditions, and his achievements are due not only to the kind of 
stock he carries, which is only the best, but also because he takes 
a pride in transmitting the knowledge he has gained from wide ex- 
perience to beginners learning the business under his supervision. 

—EDITOR. 



Origin of the Silver Black 
Fox Industry 

When Carrier first landed on the shores of Canada and was 
shown as a guest thru the Indian village of Hochelaga, the abund- 
ance of furs that was everywhere in evidence caused him to see 
the wonderful opportunities open to those who might some day- 
engage in trading with the Indians, offering the wares and necessities 
of civilized Europe to the savages in exchange for the vastly more 
expensive, but unappreciated products of the wilds of America. 

Later he made it known to his fellow countrymen across the 
seas that that country was abounding in fur bearing animals of all 
kinds, and since then men have ventured on ocean voyages to barter 
with the Indians, they have endured the hardships of the northern 
winters to trap the crafty animals in their native haunts far from 
civilization, they have vied with each other to the point of lawless- 
ness ana bloodshed for the control of the most productive districts, 
all that they might share in the immense profits to be derived from; 
participation in the fur trade. 

The Hudson Bay Company, the oldest and most powerful trading 
company in the British Empire and possibly in the world, made 
millionaires of many of its members thru dealing in fur alone. Now 
while all kinds yielded large returns, it did not take them long to dis- 
tinguish between the poorer class and the most expensive of their 
products. The highest-priced fur and most widely sought after then, 
as today, was the incomparable Silver Black Fox. 

Now on Prince Edward Island, the smallest province of Canada, 
as everywhere else in the north, there were hunters, trappers and 
fur traders. The place being small and possessing no large forests, 
the largest game the woods afforded there was the fox. Naturally 
then, while sportsmen in the other provinces went after moose, deer, 
bear, etc., the island men hunted foxes. For this reason every silver 
fox as soon as discovered was run to earth and "bagged." Conse- 
quently, the silver fox craze received greater stimulus here than else- 
where. 

The idea was then conceived of placing a pair of these "sports," 
for they are simply an accidental variation of the red fox in the wild, 
in an enclosure to determine if it were not possible to so breed them 
that their offspring would run true to color. 

Benjamin Haywood, in 1879, at the suggestion of D. H. Mac- 
Gpwan, purchased for about $25.00 a pair of silver fox pups that 
had been taken from dens in the woods and placed them in an en- 
closure surrounded by a high board wall. These foxes were a great 
novelty and many people came to see them. Thru lack of knowl- 



jl)N -6 1921 



<edge concerning the habits of these animals there were no restric- 
tions plrced upon the privileges of the public, and people were 
admitted at all times of the year to see these curiosities. As a re- 
sult, during the breeding season when all should be as quiet as pos- 
sible, the foxes were being continually excited and annoyed and the 
undertaking ended only in failure. About two years later Mr. Hay- 
wood killed what foxes he had and gave up the idea of fox farmings 

However, the suggestion had been made, and while the at- 
tempts of one had produced no good results, success offered such 
alluring prospects that the enthusiasm of all could not be dampened 
by the inability of one man. to meet the demands of the situation, and 
we find others taking up the experiments confident of success as the 
outcome of the venture. 

In 1887, Charles Dalton (now Sir ChasJ , a great sportsman and 
a man of considerable executive ability, began experimenting in a 
small way with some red foxefc kept in cages in the barn. Little was 
accomplished, but practically no outlay was involved. 

About the same time Robert Oulton, a man of great initiative, but 
probably lacking the financial support to risk much in extended 
efforts, was giving his attention to some silver foxes on Anticosti 
Island, where they had been purchased from a trapper. This island 
is situated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence about 300 miles from Prince 
Edward Island. 

Dalton also believed that silver foxes were the "big game" and 
he, too, got a pair in Anticosti Island in 1889. These foxes proved 
to be of very poor quality and were later killed. 

In 1892, Dalton learned that some silver fox pups had been dug 
out of the ground in Lot 40, P. E. I. He decided to obtain them, 
which he did, so reports go, in exchange for an old sleigh and a poor 
cow. These were light silvers and proved to be the real starting 
point of the industry. 

Sometime during the next year he purchased another pair of 
silver pups which had been taken from their dens near Bedeque, 
P. E. I. These foxes were all kept in a barn at Nail Pond, where 
Mr. Dalton then lived. 

It might be added that up to this time not a single litter of 
young foxes had been reared to maturity, either by Mr. Dalton or 
Mr. Oulton. 

In 1894 Oulton built the first wire enclosure, such as is universally 
used today, in a thick grove of mixed wood on Oulton's Island and 
made this artificial home resemble, as nearly as possible, their habi- 
tations in the wild. 

Here at last we can record success, and let us attribute credit 
to those to whom it is justly due, for after the first year with this 
new arrangement Oulton succeeded in raising foxes every season. 



As I saiu before Oulton was full of ingenious schemes, while 
Dalton had a head for business. Now, as they were alone in the 
world in their line, with common aims and one project in view, and 
as one possessed the qualities that were lacking in the other, it was 
only natural and fitting that they should form a partnership. This 
they did in 1895, and from that time on the industry prospered. 

Now altho the business was far from perfect, in fact, was just 
getting started, Robert Tuplin, a neighbor and friend of Dalton and 
Oulton, knowing a little of what was going on, readily conclude! 
that the business must be a profitable one. He became at first inter- 
ested and then anxious to get into it, but had ^the necessary capi- 
tal. However, he got a friend, Mr. Gordon, interested, who agreed to 
finance the undertaking if Mr. Tuplin could buy the foxes. In 1899 
these men formed a partnership and purchased their first pair of 
foxes. 

A short time after, 1905, the writer who had been following the 
work of these men with great interest from the "beginning ,and had 
been experimenting with red foxes for four or five years before, 
bought a pair of these silver foxes thru his uncle, Robert Tuplin. 

The Rayners and Harry Lewis also invested in this novel enter- 
prise a little later. 

All of these men above mentioned must be regarded as pioneers 
of the fur industry, as all have contributed largely, thru experi- 
ments and new ideas in the early days of the business, toward estab- 
ishing the present scientific basis on which our foxes are bred and 
raised with success. 



MY ENTRY INTO THE SILVER FOX INDUSTRY 

As far back as 1899, I remember seeing one pair of silver foxes 
in an enclosure, and I thought, knowing something of their great 
value, if they would only produce offspring of their own color, some 
day this old world of ours will get the surprise of its life. 

The following year I made it my business to again visit those 
foxes and to my amazement saw four little black puppies beside their 




parents. Then I became interested and inquisitive as well, asking 
many questions concerning habits, feeding, breeding, etc. I had the 
r ox fever for sure, and on my return home bought some red fox 
pups that had been dug out of their dens in the woods and raised 
them in a pen behind the barn. 

1 had read much about the trapping of foxes in the north and 
the great wealth of the Hudson Bay Company, and having often 
wished that I might become engaged in some way in the fur industry, 
the sight of the little silver foxes that I had seen was almost too 
wonderful to believe, for it meant that I had an opportunity to par- 
icipate in the fur trade with the most valuable furs in the world, and 
without suffering the terrible privations of a northern climate. 

I was then farming 125 acres of land, and it necessitated a great 



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deal of hard work and economy on the part of my wife and myself 
to raise our family and get all the necessities of life, and I was 
indeed on the alert for any honest means to improve our circum- 
stances. So when I found that the extremely rare and costly silver 
fox was being raised in captivity, I determined to find out as much 
as possible about them and to get into business for myself. I visited 
the foxes each year, and each year saw their numbers steadily in- 
creasing. 

While sitting in the house one day talking the business over with 
my uncle, who by the way, was one of the men in the partnership 
from whom I purchased my first foxes, he handed me his book of 
accounts saying: "Look this over and you will be surprised to learn 



what a business I possess." I eagerly examined its pages, and por- 
trayed before my eyes were figures which astonished me and easily; 
surpassed my fondest dreams. There I saw how he had purchased 
his first pair of foxes; what the ranch had cost; how many skins 
were shipped to the fur markets; prices received, and how quickly^ 
they had paid the initial expenses. I was then thoroughly convinced" 
that I was only wasting valuable time at my present occupation, and 
decided to get into this new enterprise as soon as possible. 

Now in those days the fox business was a secret one, well cor- 
nered, and owned by the chosen few. When I found the price 
quoted me wfs $1,000.00 per pair I determined to buy, as I realized 
[hat I would be fortunate to get started at all. And so it happened 
that I arrive.! home on the first of December, 1905, with my much 
prized pair, having built my wire pen some time previously. 

I believed I had invested in a good thing, but still not realizing 
the possibilities of the business I had become engaged in, set my 
standard at $10,000.00, which amount I believed I could make sell- 
ing skins and then retire, as $10,000.00 seemed quite a fortune to one 
accustomed to counting small money. 

My neighbors, good honest people, who believed no one could 
earn a living except he work from sun to sun, gave each other many 
a wink and I became the subject of many remarks, which were not 
at all flattering. But despite their ridicule I determined to keep 
on knowing that some day the laugh would be on them. Twice each 
day I fed and watered my foxes thru the heat of summer and the 
cold of winter, but for two long years without any increase, due no 
doubt to lack of experience in this work. Again I waited, and this 
time in the month of April, 1908, I was rewarded by seeing the 
mother bring out four little black pups. Perhaps I was not the hap- 
piest man alive! By fall these little foxes had grown as large as 
their parents and I found that I had one male and three females 
in the litter. 

About October I paired off the old breeders for another year and 
got the loan of a male from the man from whom I purchased my 
foxes to put with the young females. The next spring I had sixteen 
pups. After adding what I already had I found that I had 22 black 
and silver foxes and was well on the road to wealth. 

During the succeeding years I did equally well. I built new 
pens enlarging my ranch yearly until the time should come when 
the world would get wise and demand a share in the profits of our 
business. I also constructed a kennel of my own design, which I 
found to give excellent results, becoming much sought after, and 
worth many thousands of dollars. 

Now my wife was very much opposed to my going into the busi- 
ness, while I believed, as I said before, I could make $10,000.00 
selling skins, as that amount seemed quite a fortune to me then, 



and I made it the height of my ambition. But since that time I 
have learne 1 that well-established fox men talk in thousands just as 
off-hand as farmers talk in dollars and cents when selling their 
produce. But how short-sighted is man! 

I will now tell you in detail, a little of what did really happen. 
The pelt taken from the first fox I killed was sold to a local buyer in 
1909 tor $800.00, and he resold it in London, Eng., for $1,503.50. 
Another was sold for $1,000.00 and others for $500.00. A lady 
bought one of my puppies taken from a litter of seven for $1,000.03 
and when she had gone I thought: "One is gone, and there are six 
still remaining; why I have $7,000.00 in this litter alone." 



COMBINE IS BROKEN 

After I hid been operating my ranch for about five years, during 
which time 1 had kept everything in connection therewith a close 
secret, a certain prominent business man from my nearest town rep- 
resenting a large mercantile concern, called at my home and prevaied 
upon me to show him thru my ranch. I had then a large ranch filled 
with foxes, as I had anticipated such an event to take place sooner or 
later. Selling foxes for breeding purposes would give us still higher 
prices than by selling the skins, as no man will sell foxes for less 
than the skins will bring on the market and for obvious reasons will 
ask considerably more. My guest was amazed at seeing such a large 
number of foxes in captivity, and remarked on the large fortune I 
had at my command within the four walls of my enclosure. I was 
gratified to learn a few days later that he had decided to purchase 
two pairs of young foxes with the understanding that I would put in 
one pair with him, making in all a three-pair deal. It was also agreed 
that 1 was to get the best young fox raised from the three pairs for 
the care of the foxes for one year, and one-third of the offspring as 
my share of the increase. After thinking the matter over I had de- 
cided to ask him $10,000.00 for the two^ pairs. $5,000.00 per pair 
was not too much, as each pair was likely to have about five puppies 
in the spring, each puppy worth $1,000.00. The man agreed to 
take them at this price and we forthwith drew up an agreement to 
that effect. This, as far as I know, is the first pair of foxes to be 
sold publicly. 



OBLIGED TO SET A HIGHER STANDARD 

The day for catching the three pairs of foxes came, and I went 
into the ranch and placed them in the pens that had been prepare;! 
for them. Then we went to the little house close by, and he wrote 
me a check for $10,030.00 — all the money I ever expected to have in 
im life. But I had no intention of retiring. Far from it; I had 
h trdl) begun. 



When this man went away I went down to my ranch and looked 
over my foxes, and as I looked among these black and silver beauties 
skipping and playing with each other I could not notice the number 
any fewer since I had removed the three pairs. Well, I thought, 
what have I here anyway? I have all the money I ever expected to 
have in my life, but I have only begun. I was obliged to set a higher 
standard as I considered the possibilities of the fox business. This 
was the first deal of any importance I had ever made, and it went 
thru smoothly and without any difficulty. The $10,000.00 did not 
look nearly so large to me now as I had anticipated it would, and 
this transaction served but to stimulate me to greater achievements 
in my undertakings. 

The combine having been broken, now the other ranchers opened 
their doors to the public and sales were made for almost any price 
that might be asked, as there was no competition among the present 
ranches because there were not nearly enough foxes to supply the 
immediate local demand. Speculation ran riot. Foxes sold for as 
high as $20,000.00 per pair and probably higher. 

Now fox-farming is based primarily on pelt values, and such 
prices as above mentioned are very much in excess of what the best 
skins will bring in normal times and absolutely unreasonable. 
Young foxes that had not yet been born were contracted for at 
fabulous prices. There is no knowing what heights prices would 
have reached, or how long these abnormal conditions would have 
lasted, but a sudden lull was brought about by the outbreak of the 
war. As I have said before, silver fox farming is based primarily 
on fur values, and previous to this date the great fur markets of 
the world were in London. It was the nobility of France and Eng- 
land that wore our costly products and the Americans had hardly 
heard of them. At this particular time the Europeans had more to 
think about than the height of fashion in furs. Consequently, silver 
fox, in common with other products in its class, became neglected. 
Prices declined, and during the years of the war, as with all other 
such enterprises, business was rather dull and ranchers were forced 
to take what consolation they might out of returns from sales of pelts 
in the United States. Now we find a change. People got out of 
the way of sending furs to London, and now New York, St. Louis and 
Montreal are the popular sales, especially for silver fox. With the 
return to peace, furs became again in demand, and prices increased, 
together with the prices of breeders. 

'"Thus it was that the war years proved, iti this particular case, to 
be a period of reconstruction." Today the fox business is run on its 
true pelt value which assures present permanent prices. "Foxes 
under intelligent handling will more than double their numbers 
annually. This business, therefore, unlike merchandizing or manu- 
facturing, contains the power of meeting the situation created by 
decreased value without sustaining loss of capital. Therein lies "its 



strength." "The Silver Fox Breeders Association was then incor- 
porated. This organization was formed with the general object of 
conserving the industry by advancing the interest of the breeders 
and protecting the purchaser against fraud and misrepresentation." 
*The Fox Breeding Industry. — F. L. Rogers. 



INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING MICHIGAN THE CENTER 
OF THE FOX INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 

In January, 1915, I took my family to Florida to spend the 
winter, and while there met a man from the state of Michigan. In 
the course of our conversation I made it known to him that I was an 




extensive breeder of silver foxes. He being a sharp business man, 
immediately wanted to know more about the industry. The outcome 
of our chance acquaintance was that in the following summer I 
brought to the state of Michigan ten pairs of silver foxes. These, 
I believe, were the first ones to produce young and raise them suc- 
cessfully in the state. There may have been a few small ranches of 
inferior stock in different parts previously, but they had accom- 
plished little or nothing. 

Michigan has now about $2,000,000.00 worth of foxes, largely 
due to the small beginning I made here in 1915, and is the recognized 
center of the fox industry in the United States. 



Today I have a large interest, almost cole owner, fn a chains 
of ranches extending from P. E. I.. Canada, thru Alpine, Lakewood, 
and Traverse City, Michigan, to Houghton in the far off copper 
country on the shores of Lake Superior. Each year finds my ranches 
depleted of all foxes that I can spare to sell for breeding purposes, 
end each year I increase the size of my ranches to try and meel the 
demands for stock. 

Last winter, 1921, while in Florida, I placed several pairs of 
silver foxes together with a large number of beautiful pelts on exhi- 
bition in Jacksonville. The latter were handled by thousands of 
tourists from every state in the union, which did them no good to 
say the least, saying nothing about the intense heat and other cli- 
m tic conditions to which they were subjected. From there I sent 
four of them, three blacks and a silver, to Alfred Fraser, fur buyer, 
in New York, and have just received word from him to the effect 
that he sold one black for $500.00 an 1 another for $100.00. Theie 
black pelts are the kind that it is claimed are not as much in demand 
as silvers. However, I shall be pleased to hear that the silver has 
brought as large a price. These pelts were taken from our foxe.3 
born and raised in Michigan, and were of only average quality, as 
they were some left over after mating. My experience has been that 
it is quality that counts, whether black or silver. I noticed while 
showing my pelts in the south that in almost every case the lady's 
choice was the black. I am only stating conditions as I found them 
regardless of what others think or say. 



SKINS 

The person who raises silver foxes for their pelts has a great 
advantage over the man who must trap his fox for the skin. The 
latter is glad to get a silver at any time within the winter months, 
and almost anyone knows that a pelt will not be prime if killed 
out of season. Many trophies have thus been caught when not at 
their best, and as a result only a part of the true value is received. 
On the other hand, breeders mate their foxes to give best quality 
fur; they keep them in large pens where they cannot chafe or rub 
themselves, and feed them on all the oily food they will eat, until 
they become very fat. Thus they are kept until prime and then killed. 
The skins are dried and placed on the market. The fur is then 
very long and silky, and the skin quite thick and firm. 

Now it may not be generally known that what is known locally 
as the black fox is more properly known as silver fox, and from 
this some people erroneously suppose that the color is almost white 
or a silver grey. This is not so, for the name silver is given to it 
on account of the presence of silver hairs among the black, most 
commonly on the hips, back and face. This which is known as a 




silver hair is not white but Mack, with a band of silver about half 
en inch wide placed about one-third of the way from the outer point 
of the hair. The pure black fox in the outside world is very rare, 
the tendency there being to run very silvery. Two well bred silver 
foxes miy produce some blacks in their litters, while a pair ol 
black ones may produce silvers among their offspring. However, 
litters of all silver or black may be produced by mating two light 
silvers or two pure blacks, but black and silver foxes are one and 
the same thing and belong to the same family. The skins of these 
valuable animals are always listed on the great fur markets as silver 
and sold as such, whether black or silver in color. As foxes grow 
older they grow more silvery, that is, more silver hairs appear. As 
lo which is the more valuable, that rests entirely with fashion, which 
Is continually changing, sometimes calling for one and sometimes the 
other. The prudent fox breeder will keep both kinds in stock in 
order to supply the demands of the market as they are created. 

Skins are sold at auction to the highest bidder. The house that 
sells them receives five or six per cent commission and the balance 
is forwarded, together with the account of the sales, to the farmer. 



RANCH BRED FOXES SUPERIOR TO THOSE 
TAKEN FROM WILDS 

It is quite reasonable to suppose that fur grown on foxes bred for 
fur quality, by selective mating and proper care, should surpass that 



taken from a fox in the wild which is very probably the progeny 
of red parents. 

Statistics give the following figures which prove this not- a mere 
supposition, but an established fact. 

The Hudson Bay Company received an average price per skin of 
about $150.00 for pelts taken from the wilds for sixty years begin- 
ning about 1850. But all furs were much lower in price than today. 
Records show that silver fox increased 150 per cent or more in 
value during the last twenty-five years. This will have to be taken 
into consideration in order to get a true comparison. 

The highest priced silver fox skin taken from the wilds, that 
we know of, sold for $1,400.00 in 1914. 

About the year 1900, ranch bred silver fox skins began to appear 
on the markets, which realized higher prices than was ever heard of 
before. From 1900-1911 the average prices paid to ranchers for 
their products were approximately four times as great as prices 
paid tor skins taken from the wilds during the same period. 

Dalton received the following prices for skins taken from his 
ranch: In 1907, $2,141.32; in 1910, $2,627.96, and in 1912, for a 
pelt taken from a fox that died in October, $1,995.30. 

He also received an average price of $1,385.98 for 25 skins in 
1910. 

In 1910, James Gordon received $2,450.00 for a single pelt, and 
in 1914, an average of about $1,000.00 each for 3 pelts taken from 
foxes that were not in first class condition. 

The Gordons mentioned above are natives of P. E. I., and James 
Gordon is one of the men in the partnership from whom I pur- 
chased my first pair of foxes. 

Now we believe our ranch bred fox is growing better every year. 
But many beginners think of starting the business by mating the 
common red and a silver fox together, in the hope that they may 
get something good in this way. But as the pure-bred animal and 
the high priced skin is the one in which no vestige of red appears, 
the reader can surely see the folly of allowing the red to destroy the 
only black he may have. 

The originators began this industry by mating what silvers 
they could get with something of a lesser value. A few reds ap- 
peared at first, but as time went on they were gradually weeded 
out and the best retained, so that after many years of study and 
labor we have what we call today a family of Royal Silvers sec- 
ond to none in the world. For a man to start this all over again, 
to my mind, is absurd, seeing that we are still improving our stand- 
ard strains, and that time is so valuable in this year of Our Lord 
one thousand nine hundred and twenty one. 



THE KIND OF STOCK WE CARRY 

Altho The Silver Fox Breeders' Association has been incorpor- 
ated to protect the purchaser of breeders against fraud and misrep- 
resentation by the registration of the best strains of foxes, yet the 
buyer is not wholly protected, for there is a great deal of difference 
between foxes of registered stock under the present system. Now, 
I am a firm believer in the registration of foxes but not as done 
today. I have seen foxes that were eligible for registration because 
their parents were in the registered class, which should have been 
excluded as unfit because they lacked either size or good guard 
hair, or perhaps both. This is very probably caused by inbreeding 
and is the fault of the rancher and not the foxes. I have also 
seen pelts taken from the registered animals that have brought a 
pretty low figure, and, as a general rule, foxes with poor guard 
hair transmit the defect to their offspring. 

Foxes, I believe, should be registered according to a certain 
standard, based on the conditions that exist under the present sys- 
tem, and in addition be required to score a good number of points, 
first, for fur, and secondly, for size. This system is known as 
Advanced Registration. 

The argument against the method suggested, is that a fox may 
pass the tests for registration one year, and fail the next, whether 
from improper care, or other reasons. But I think this less likely to 
happen, than, with a careless keeper in charge, foxes running down 
from first class stock to poor quality in three or four generations. 
In either case, however, the fox should not be eligible for registra- 
tion, and no Association should be in favor of placing such a prod- 
uct before the public, represented for something that it is not. 

If we are to build up a high class, standard animal, we must do 
it in the way above mentioned, and the foxes that cannot stand the 
tests must be discarded and put in a poorer class. Thus the public 
will be safeguarded because the article is represented for what it 
really is. 

Good fur is the basis of fox-farming, and if fox men are so short- 
sighted as to place registration papers before individual merit, it 
will soon show in the race of foxes produced, and a great many 
men who expect to get good foxes by relying on the strength of the 
recommendation will be greatly disappointed. 

The ancestors of the first foxes I purchased were bought from 
Charles Dalton, but in comparing the prices I received from the fur 
markets with those that Dalton received in 1910, I concluded that 
his prices were a little higher than mine. He had brought in some 
new blood from outside and this had made the difference. When I 
saw Dalton's returns I immediately asked him if he would sell me a 
few pairs of his best foxes and at what price. He asked me what 
price per pair I was selling my foxes for, and I told him $4,000.00, 



"Well," he said, "my foxes bring higher prices th?n yours. I'll 
charge you $6,000.00 and pick you good foxes." I said, '"How much 
will you ask me and let me pick my own foxes, as I am a fox man 
and know something about foxes, too?" He considered- a short time 
and said: 'You can have the pick oi the best foxes in my ranch for 
$6,500.00 per pair." 1 took several pairs at this price. When I had 
taken what foxes I wanted from the pens that had made record prices 
on the market the previous year, and had then in the boxes outside, 
he said to me: "Mr. Tuplin, you have done something no man has 
ever done before and I will never allow to do again. — select his own. 
foxes from my ranch." 

The prices that induced me to take these foxes at such a high 
figure were as follows: 

The average of 25 skinfe sold April, 1910, was $1,385.98. 

One skin sold for $1,995.30, another for $2,141.32, and another 
for $2,627.96. The latter is the highest price ever paid for a single 
skin. 

1 bought a single male fox sometime later for $10,500.00. The 
blood of this sire runs thru our foxes today. 

Always after the best, I purchased two pairs of Alaska ioxes in 
19*19 from the party who received the highest prices for skins place J 
on the market that year. 

The prices that this man received in 1919 for pelts were as fol- 
lows: 

2 of his pelts sold for $2,500.00. 
1 of his pelts sold for $1,125.00, 
1 of his pelts sold for $1,100.00. 

1 of his pelts sold for $1,000.00. 

2 of his pelts sold for $1000.00. 

Last year (1920) this man exhibited his stock at the Fox Shows 
at Montreal, Boston and Muskegon, and at each place received first 
prizes. Quite recently I received the following letter from him with 
regard to the foxes purchased: 

(Copy) 

Noitham, P. E. Island, Canada. 
May 9, 1921. 
Mr. Frank Tuplin. 

Summerside, P. E. I. 
Dear Mr. Tuplin: 

We are enclosing pictures of some of our "Prize Winning' Foxe? 
and Pelts," also an enlargement of our "Four Champions." We 
thought you might like these, and to know something of the breeding 
of your foxes in relation to our prize winners. 

"Sandy," the year-old male, which you purchased from us, is a 



full brother to "Lady Rose." She was the "Grand Champion Female 
Pup of the Montreal Show," and was first prize winner at Boston 
and Muskegon. The Black Male Pup is bred along the same lines 
as "Alaska Queen' and "Alaska Beauty," both "Grand Champion 
Females," he has at least 50 % of this blood. The large Light Silver 
Female is a full sister to "Silver King," first prize winner at Muske- 
gon and second at Boston, her father, "Yukon" was third prize win- 
ner at Montreal, scoring 1 2/3 points below first, and was second 
prize winner at Boston, scoring 93 1/8 points. Your dark Silver 
Female is a full sister to "Kluane," second prize winner at Montreal, 
and scoring only 1/4 of a point below first, she was third at Boston 
and was beaten at Muskegon by our own Fox. Your foxes are bred 
in the blue, and we do not doubt the statement you made in ref- 
erence to having the finest silver female in North America. 

Very truly yours, 

MILLIGAN & MORRISON. 

(Signed) Geo. L. Morrison. 

I then mated the Standard and Alaska and produced what we call 
the Improved Silver Fox. We call him improved because we have 
seen him improved by the added new blood. 

Alaska foxes are large, their silver clear, and their black is per- 
fect. I am breeding Alaska foxes in their pure state and have several 
large puppies this season. 

A party purchased a Peace River female some time ago, which 
produced some of the finest foxes ever raised on P. E. I. I immedi- 
ately purchased two of these pups for breeding purposes. 

It can be easily seen that I have kept my stock to the highest 
point of perfection. 




The fox we are Breeding today will be a better one ten years 
hence than he is now, and the man who has the foresight to keep 
improving his stock, will be selling choice breeders in the years to 
come, while his tardy competitors will be pulling off pelts. 

The farmer who is careful with his grain crop, hand picking his 
seed, cleaning it thoroughly, and producing that which gives the 
greatest yield, will sell his grain for seed purposes and at a high 
price, while the dilatory farmer who goes on in the same old way 
will have to be satisfied with the same old price. 

No man will sell foxes for less than their pelt values, so that 
when any fox man gives you a low price on pups, you can be sure 
that they are not worth much, and poor silver foxes are a poor 
buy. If you get good stock anywhere in the animal kingdom you 
must expect to pay a reasonable price for it. 

Many men are ignorant of the quality of silver foxes. They think 
fbem all alike, as long as they are black and silver, but this is a very 
wrong idea. There is a brown black and a muddy silver, the pelts 
of which sell low on the market. The best black is the one in which 
no vestige of brown appears. It must be a blue black and a clear 
silver. This kind will not fade when worn, but will hold its color 
until worn out. 



THE PEERLESS BLACK FOX SKIN 

"Did you ever see such a skin?" quoth he; 

there's naught in the world so fine — 
"Such fullness of fur as black as the night, 

such lustre, such size, such shine;" 
■» * » 

"For look ye, the skin — it's as smooth as sin 

and black as the core of the pit." 

* * « 

And a prize, likewise, in a woman's eyes 
is a peerless black fox skin. 

— Robert W. Service. 



WHERE FOXES CAN BE RAISED 

Foxes can be raised successfully in almost any of the provinces 
of Canada, or the northern part of the United States. Ranches exist 
today in most of the Canadian Provinces and in Maine, New Hamp- 
shire, Vermont, Massachusetts 3 , New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wis- 
consin, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, Washington and 
Alaska. I feel certain, however, that they may be raised in any 
country where wild foxes exist, but of course, the fur will not be 
worth as much where the climate is warm as where the winters are 
I ono; and severe. 



LOCATION FOR A RANCH 

In choosing a location for a ranch, several things must be borne 
in mind in order that the site may be a satisfactory one. The lay of 
the land must be looked into, as rising ground is required. Never 
Luild on low land, because this would not insure good drainage, and 
•water might lie there in spring and be a serious handicap when the 
little foxes come out. The soil should be porous. A good growth of 
almost any kind of trees will do that will give the required covering 
from the sun, as the closer the foliage and more shaded the place, 
the richer and darker the fur will be, and consequently more valu- 
able on the fur market. It also hides the foxes from view, and 
they require seclusion. A growth of deciduous trees is best, as this 
allows the sun to penetrate into the pens in spring and dry up the 




ground, while the leaves will exclude the rays of the sun in summer. 
The ranch should not be situated near a town or village, for there is 
always a tendency for strangers to come around. This keeps the 
foxes disturbed and lessens their chances both of having young and 
raising them. 

CONSTRUCTION OF RANCH 

The pens are made all sizes by fox men, some going as far 
as to allow them space one hundred feet square. But I believe this 
is a waste both of wire and land. I have tried all sizes and have 
found by experience that a pen 25 by 35 feet is fully as good as 
larger. 



In Canada a trench is dug in the ground eighteen inches wide, in 
which the posts are placed which support the walls of the pens, and 
also the bottom of the wall. This part that extends into the ground 
is made of IV2 inch mesh No. 15 gauge wire, and runs about three 
feet deep. This same wire extends about three feet above ground sc 
that the little pups cannot go thru it when very young, as they would 
2 inch mesh. I have lost several pups earlier in the business by 
using wire of too large mesh close to the ground. 

The rest of the walls are built of 2 inch meeh No. 16 wire and 
are about nine feet high. At the top there is an overhang inward of 
18 inches, which prevents the fox from climbing out as they can 
climb the walls like cats. A partition is run across this pen i.bout 
five feet from the end; this small pen is for the male when the foxei 
are separated, leaving a pen about 25 by 30 feet in size for the 
female and her puppies. A short chute thru the partition connects 
the two pens and it is closed with the male in his own pen at the 
time of the year that the female is expected to have her younz. All 
the partitions between pens are double, made of 1^2 inch mesh wire 
up three feet and one foot apart; the other six feet is made same as 
other walls. This keeps the foxes from fighting and injuring each 
other thru the wire as they would do otherwise. The partitions 
should not be boarded up, but left so the foxes may see each other, 
as thus they are more contented. 

When I came to the United States a few years ago I built my 
pens in the way mentioned above, but I found, owing to the differ- 
ence in the soil — the ground here is very soft and sandy — that 
although I had the walls running down four feet the foxes would 
dig still deeper. I also had young foxes lie because the sand caved 
in on them. Then I tried another plan. I laid a wire mat all ove- 
the surface of each pen and covered it with about one foot of s-nd 
and dirt. And this is the plan that is adopted today, and is far 
superior to digging trenches. 

Our houses are placed both on the surface and underground. 
Personally I like the underground house best; a fox's natural home 
is in the ground, and in building a ranch everything must be made 
as nearly natural as possible. Where there is heavy soil, however, 
the house on the surface is more suitable. This latter house is made 
about three feet square and has a single slanting roof on hinges so 
that it may be opened. A nest box 21 inches long, 14 inches wide, 
and 14 inches high is placed in one corner away from the chute, so 
the draft will not be too great for the little foxes when born. Phis 
box is also made so that it may be opened on the side, in case need 
should arise to handle the foxes. The chute is made of 1*4 inch 
boards three feet long, nailed together to form a rectangular hole 7 
by 8 inches. It is placed in one corner of the house in such a posi- 
tion from the nest box that when the female goes in the house she 
has to turn at right angles to go into the nest. The underground 



house is built similar to the other but with an additional compart- 
ment two feet higher than the house proper. This compartment has 
a roof on hinges and serves as a manhole. This allows the attend- 
ant iree access at all times. When the house is underground two feet 
of this manhole is all that is visible. When the attendant wishes to 
see how things are in the house, he lifts the roof of the manhole an J 
steps down a short ladder nailed to the wall. He then opens x a 
door about 18 inches wide and three feet long and has easy acces 
to the interior of the house. A chute about ten feet long leads from 
the house to the surface of the pen. In order to make catching 
easier the top of that part of the chute that is above the ground is 
made on hinges so that it may be opened. Each house is also 
equipped with a ventilator. 

All the trees in the pens should be trimmed as high as a man can 
reach standing on the ground. No. knots should project and if the 
bark is very rough, as in the case of the Michigan Oak, a piece of 
sheet iron about two feet wide should be nailed around the tiee five 
feet from the ground to prevent climbing. 

An outside or guard fence should be built sufficiently large so 
that it will surround all the pens that are likely to be needed. This 
is made of the same kind of wire that is used in building the pens 
and must be foxprcof in case Reynard may chance to escape from 
his enclosure at any time. To make it so, the wall is built nine feet 
high with an overhang on the inside about two feet wide like the 
pens. 



CARE AND FEEDING 

I will now proceed to show how foxes should be fed and cared 
for beginning October 1st, as that is the date on which foxes are 
either mated for breeding purposes or are placed in pens to prepare 
them for killing. The male and female are put together this early so 
that they may become acquainted, as it usually takes weeks of mating 
before two strange foxes will breed. 

I will assume that the ranch has been completed and everything 
is in readiness, because when the foxes are placed in a strange pen 
they have enough to worry them without the attendant making any 
undue noise. Bid your hammer and saw farewell, lay them away, 
and leave them there unless some emergency should arise. 

On placing the foxes in their new pen do not open the box 
and let them run out in the open, because they are likely to be 
frightened, both of the new attendant and the strange surroundings, 
and may climb the walls in an effort to escape. In coming down or 
in case of a fall, they are very liable to break a limb. A better way 
is to place the opening of the box, in which the foxes are, close to 
the mouth of the chute thai runs into the ground, and, gently raising 



the slide from the hole in the box, allow the foxes to run down into 
the house. Now you should leave the pen at once and not stay 
around and bother them. The foxes by running into the chute will 
quickly find a way of escape and a hiding place in case of appar- 
ent danger to them. 

Now give two or three pieces of meat about the size of a hen's 
egg for each fox at each meal, morning and evening. Feed all 
the nice meat, either horseflesh or offal, that they will eat up clean. 
If small fresh fish without sharp bones can be procured, this may be 
fed twice a week, but omit all meat at fish meal. They should have 
all the clean, fresh water they can drink until the snow falls. There 
is no need of watering in the winter months except when ground 
becomes bare. If the foxes have been accustomed to a milk diet, 




they should be weaned gradually by giving cracker and milk about 
twice a week, in place of meat or fish. 

No hard and fast rule can be set down in feeding foxes. I have 
been asked how many pounds of meat should be fed daily, but I 
cannot answer the question in that way. Appetites vary among foxes 
just the same as among other animals. The foxes must be fed 
according to their demands for food, and no two pairs can be fed 
alike, as one will require more than the other. So the attendant is 
to be the judge. They must not be allowed to bury food for then 
they are getting too much. On the other hand, do not be satisfied 
in finding the dishes cleaned out every time they are fed. It is diffi- 
cult to tell then, whether they are getting all they require or not. 
Slick them once in a while until there is some left, then you can tell 



pretty well about what they need, and so on. By feeding this way 
they soon become accustomed to one keeper, and if they are not of 
too shy a nature, will welcome him at mealtime. 

Foxes usually breed between January 15th and March 15th, so 
that when the former date comes around, watch carefully. There is 
not much fear but that the female will be noticed when she is in 
heat, and the male is particularly active at this time. If the exact 
date of breeding can be obtained, so much the better, because the date 
almost to a day can be figured out when the female will give birth, as 
she carries her young about 52 days. 

Two weeks after the female has bred, begin to change a little 
from solid to softer food. Now remove the male, this should be 
done as quietly as possible. If I cannot tell when the female breeds, 
both foxes are turned out occasionally and the male is not taken 
away until the female shows signs of growing heavy. I want to state 
right here that the attendant must be very careful at this lime of the 
season, as the period of gestation with the female is half gone and 
she must not be excited or aroused. Many a young female has 
aborted at this time owing to the carelessness or ignorance of the 
attendant. 

The female should then get fox biscuit and milk, and a little raw 
meat in it, all fed warm, in the morning; in the evening a little 
cooked meat in a little of the water in which it was boiled. In this 
way the female is being prepared to have plenty of milk with which 
to feed her little pups when they arrive. 

Many a fox has lost her litter because she failed to have suffici- 
ent milk to nourish them. Few fox men think of this, but continue 
to feed in the usual way. Many a female fox has also lost her young 
through excitement, and her owner knows nothing about it until he 
finds in the spring that she has not produced a litter. Then he 
blames the fox business when in a great many cases the trouble is 
with the management and not with the foxes. They will do their part 
if only he will do his. But supposing he has had no misfortunes in 
separating male and female, and that he has fed properly for milk, 
there is a great deal yet to be learned. The attendant must establish 
between himself and the pregnant female a confidence that must not 
be broken. When the female finds that she is going to have young 
she begins to regard her attendant with suspicion. Her foxy instinct 
tells her that he may take way her young as he did her mate, and 
as the time draws nearer for her to give birth, she watches him 
closer and closer. She observes every movement that is made out of 
the ordinary and he must assume a careless attitude as though he 
does not notice her. 

All foods should be warmed from early fall, and especially at 
this time. I put the milk on the stove and make it so that I can just 
keep my hand in it nicely. Then the fox biscuit which has previ- 
ously been broken up and soaked in as much water as it will absorb, 



is put in. Do not put too much biscuit in the milk; make it about 
the same consistency as vegetable soup. Place little enough me?t in 
the dishes at each feeding so that the foxes will eat the biscuit and 
milk. Do not expect too much of them at first; remember that after 
a long winter on raw food that it is hard to get them to change. Beat 
ud an ej% and stir it in the milk while on the stove; it makes good 
rich food. We feed half whole milk pnd half skimmed milk, and 
think it better than all whole milk, because some cows give such 
rich milk that it is strong for the little puppies. 

As the female grows heavier, give her all the sloppy food th^t she 
will eat once a day; twice might physic her and cause her to abort. 

When the female goes in to have her young she usually misses a 




meal. In that case it is not necessary to feed her heavy, as she does 
not need any food for twenty-four hours. Still, I usually place a 
small piece of warm meat about the size of a thimble in her dish as 
a tester. If it is gone at the next mealtime the chances are that she 
has got thru her trying ordeal all right, and is now coming out for 
food. Feed her lightly, and bring her back to her usual feed by 
increasing the amount a little e3ch time. Do not allow her to bury 
any meat in the cold ground as she may dig it up at some future time 
and eat it chilled or frozen. 

Remember that she is wild and not a domestic animal, and if 
she is a valuable one no man that is not thoroughly conversant with 



fox raising has any business around at this time. However, the 
attendant must come daily and do his best as she must be fed, and 
if he will do his part properly she will reward him by bringing 
her litter out at the appointed time. Otherwise she may take offense 
and carry them out — her constant fear being that this man will take 
them away from her — and they will probably die from exposure. 
Perhaps she may hide them in the snow to save them, and many foxes 
are lost this way. This is not parent-slaughter. People who think 
they know, talk a lot about parent-slaughter, but no animal is kinder 
to her young and there is no better mother than the female fox. In 
nine cases out of ten all losses are a direct consequence of misman- 
agement. 

I have heard it said by breeders that know very little, that there 
is nothing to be learned — "no great art" — just feed well and let 
nature take its course. But I want to tell those self-styled adepts 
if I ever meet them, that we are not raising foxes naturally, and 
must make clue allowances. To begin with we build them a small 
enclosure and deprive them of their natural exercise. We also feed 
them strange food which they must eat whether they like it or not. 
We build the female fox an unnatural home to have her young in. 
She is fed from an unnatural source and her success depends entirely 
upon the judgment and knowledge of the hand that does the feed- 
ing. We who had to learn the business without any teaching found 
it hard, while those who have the benefit of our experiences may find 
it easy enough. 

Now let me show you, by way of illustration, just what happened 
all because of a man's ignorance. A man bought a pair of foxes 
but was told very little about the business. He knew enough, how- 
ever, to remove the male, and after doing so continued to feed the 
female daily. He went to the ranch one morning and she did not 
come out as usual; he had not been told to expect this, and thought 
she might have escaped, so he began to look around to see if this was 
the case. Finding no holes in the enclosure he decided to look in 
her house to see if she was there. He lifted the roof and there she 
was with her four little puppies nestled close to her bosom, and her 
big tail outside of them to keep them nice and warm. He imagined, 
of course, that he had done wrong and carefully closing the door of 
her house, stalked away and ran home as fast as he could, saying 
at every step, "No more poor days for me; my fortune is made." 
But listen! He never saw the little foxes again. Before he returned 
she surely carried them all out and buried them. 

What would a bird do if you put your hand in her nest? Leave 
it, of course, and let me tell you that a fox is much more sensitive 
than a bird. When this man disturbed his fox she thought: "Oh, you 
brute, you have discovered my little ones and now you mean to 
take them." And lest on his return he should carry them away, she 
removed them one by one and hid them in the cold ground or snow. 



Any place was batter than the one discovered. And so they died aniK 
the man got the knowledge that he should have paid a few extra 
dollars for when he bought his foxes. Thus he lost many thousands 
— but such is life. 

Every man who invests his money in foxes should get with them) 
the knowledge, experience and education of a successful breeder, 
and the man who sets down a pair of foxes and expects to make a 
fortune without this is very foolish indeed and will likely lose-- 
money. 

Fox farming is no get-rich-quick scheme that a man can drop a 
few thousand dollars into and reap large profits. It is the marr. 
who pays attention to his business and puts a lot of work into it who 
gets the most out. 

After she has had her pups the female may be fed biscuit and 
milk twice a day, with just the right amount of meat so that she 
will eat the mush up clean. Be sure, however, that she is getting 
enough as you do not know how many pups she is feeding. She 
may have seven and receive little enough to sustain three. 

At three weeks old the pups require something more than the 
female can give them, so she carries in some of the food and little 
by little they learn to eat. 

Now carefully open up the den and give each little pup a worm 
tablet. Instructions for this will be found under the heading Dis- 
eases. 

In about thirty days the pups will come out of their own accord- 
Now a small dish must be provided for each, and one for the 
mother; otherwise the little fellows will fight and probably hurt each 
other. At first give mostly milk and biscuit — just a little, remember, 
as the mother is feeding them with her own milk as well as you, 
and they do not require much. As they grow older and need more- 
increase accordingly. Put a little cooked meat and a beaten egg in 
the milk, just the same as previously given to the mother. 

The old fox usually eats after the puppies are done and one 
wonders what she lives on. She soon shows the effects of the drain 
made upon her, however. About this time she sheds her coat and 
being faded and shaggy looks like two cents, but never mind, she 
will come back, Take her puppies away, or her from them, when 
they are weaned, which is about two and one half months after birth. 
Now, if properly cared for, she should duplicate her last litter or 
perhaps better it the next season. 

After October 1st the young foxes are fed on meat and fish, which 
gradually replaces the biscuit, eggs, and milk, for they are placed on 
solid food for the cold winter weather. 

Great care must be exercised in handling foxes at all times, 
because their teeth are very sharp, and when they bite it is done 



'with all their might. Still 1 catch and handle foxes as often as 
required and have no trouble. Catching boxes are used for this pur- 
pose, and iron tongs which slip around their necks. These can be 
•bought for a small sum and are very useful. 

I do not recommend doubling up, that is, placing one male with 
jwo or more females. It requires experience and skill. The first 
year I ever tried this way of mating was in 1908. It had never been 
done before, as far as I can find out, but I was successful in my 
attempt as I raised ten pups from the two females. The only safe 
■way this scheme can be followed is to place each female in a sep- 
arate pen, and have a chute thru the partition joining the two pens. 
Then allow the male to go back and forth, first with one and then 
the other, every other day all winter, until the breeding season 
is over. Never allow the two females together; sometimes they 
-will agree, but they might not, and fight thru jealousy in the mating 
period and one kill the other. 

Double mating can be fairly well managed with a quiet male of 
good disposition, which can be easily driven back and forth daily, 
but taking everything into consideration I prefer a male for each 
female. 

Earlier in the business I have had double mating do well one 
year, while the next, in some cases, the male would refuse to mate 
with both females and one would be left a blank. Besides, if the 
male should be young and not well enough developed, it means that 
the use of two females is lost. 

With our present scientific manner of feeding almost all young 
foxes breed in captivity the first year. It was not always so, for in 
1905, when I bought my first pair of foxes, the parties from whom I 
purchased rarely ever had a female breed the first year. 

I am having great success in raising foxes in the state of Mich- 
igan. Almost all my females breed and raise their puppies and it 
is a fact that the pups are much larger than those from the same 
stock in Canada. The ground is dry in spring when the little pups 
first come out, thus affording them a surety of life which they do 
not have in my ranch in Canada. In the latter place the weather is 
cold and damp, with much snow and ice at this critical time, and 
many young foxes are lost at three or four weeks old, when they 
first come out. 

The fur, I believe, will also equal that raised in Canada. I have 
hardly had a chance to test this as much as I would like, but last 
winter, 1921, I sent four pelts to Alfred Fraser taken from my farm 
at Alpine. These were of average quality, some that were left over 
after mating, and I received for two of them $900.00. The others 
I have not heard from yet. This is only a fair price but goes to 
show that as high quality fur can be produced here as anywhere. 



SELECTION OF FOXES FOR BREEDERS 

The selection of foxes for breeding purposes, performed so as 
to produce the best results, requires a great deal of care, study and 
experience. I believe that there are many poor, short haired, 
small and undesirable silver foxes existing, chiefly because 
of the lack of judgment on the part of the man who has affairs 
under his control at the ranch. There are many fox men claiminT 
to be successful breeders who lack the knowledge necessary to pro- 
duce the highest type of fox from the stock on hand. 

Fox men are inclined to be know-it-alls. A new man, as a rule, 
will follow instructions as to feeding, breeding and general manage,- 
ment. But I have noticed that in nearly exery case, after the first 
year, they begin experimenting more or less, and following theories 
of their own which is often detrimental to the foxes. They do not 
take into consideration the fact that they are inexperienced in the 
business; that they are now going over the same road which has 
been well traveled by men who had their ups and downs years ago, 
and have finally reached success through untiring and endless efforts. 
The only safe rule in any business for the novice, is to follow in the 
footsteps of the successful man; to study and adopt his methods 
until some practical experience and a working knowledge of the 
business has been gained. 

Too often the man who sells foxes is blamed for the poor foxes 
of the third or fourth year rancher, to whom he may have sold the 
first breeders, while in reality the attendant is at fault. 

The experienced man selects his foxes, studying their relation to 
each other and what will produce the best size and color. Disposi- 
tion is also taken into consideration, the ultimate aim being to 
produce a type, the finished pelt of which when placed on the 
market, will command the highest figure. This can only be done 
by first, finding out what type it is that produces this price, and 
secondly, by selecting the best each year from the most prolific 
strains that have given the highest pelt values in the past years. 

Experience is required, and no beginner can be expected to do 
as well unaided as the man who has spent years in the business. So 
the only thing to do is to co-operate with some man whose judgment 
can be relied upon, until sufficient knowledge has been acquired to 
assure the best results. 



DISEASES 



If foxes are fed and managed properly they are not subject to 
disease. Young foxes, however, should be treated for worms at 
about three weeks old. I give one of Burroughs and Welcome's 
worm tablets to each pup at that age. The tablet is thrown well 
back in the throat, then followed with the blunt end of a lead pencil 



until it is pushed past the swallow. In about a week repeat the 
dose. In this way we rarely ever lose any little ones. 

In June or July the pups are caught and examined for fleas; if 
there are any, I dust Keatmg's Flea powder over them, rubbing it 
well into the hair. This is usually all that is required, but can be 
repeated if necessary. 

We have heard of foxes having distemper. This is probably 
caused by improper feeding, or clue to a very sudden change from a 
hot to a cold climate. Having never had a case of it in my ranch 
nor ever having come in contact with it, I cannot give a cure. 

Sore eyes sometimes appear in summer, which, I believe, is 
caused chiefly by feeding fish. A light wash, Creolin diluted with 
water, will suffice to bring about a cure. 

For canker in the ear, try a squirt of automobile oil, and after 
five days repeat. Give a dose of Castor Oil, and fox should show 
some sign of improvement. 

If pups are overfed when young, it may produce scouring; this 
is caused by indigestion, which in turn will cause the young foxes to 
become weak in the legs. This is known as Rickets, and rarely 
occurs while experienced men are feeding. 

Bad feeding is the cause of nearly all fox troubles. It will keep 
the foxes from breeding, cause the female to abort, kill the young, 
and sometimes the old foxes. In short, I believe that ninety-five 
per cent ot diseases among foxes is caused by mismanagement; the 
other five per cent we may attribute to causes over which we have 
no control. This being the case, the reader can readily see how 
much depends upon the knowledge and judgment of the caretaker. 



FURRING 



After the pups have all been selected and mated for breeders and 
the old foxes placed in their respective pens, those that are to be 
killed are put in large enclosures, sometimes as many as six together. 
Young foxes will seldom fight, but do not forget that the old breed- 
ing males cannot be placed together as they will fight to the death. 
These foxes are then fed all the oily foods they will eat, and made 
very fat. They are not allowed any shelter except in the case of 
very stormv weather, and immediately this is over they are turned out 
again and kept in the open. 

In Canada foxes are prime much earlier than in Michigan. In 
the former place we kill about the first of December, in Alpine 
and Lakewood about the middle of February, and in Houghton the 
first of the new year. 



SKINNING 

The fox having been killed he is now hung up by the hind legs\, 
the skin started around the hind and fore feet, and pulled off over 
the head without ripping it up the belly. The tail is split to the end 
and the bone removed. The skin then, fur side in, is pulled well 
down on a nicely shaped board, made especially for the purpose, and 
tacked there. A wedge is run up thru the middle of the board to 
give the skin the required width. The fat is scraped off and in three 
days the skin is ready to turn. After about a week, having been 
combed and brushed to make it look as well as possible, this skin 
can be placed on the market ready for sale. All this is very easily 
done and is only a part of the caretaker's work, requiring no extra- 
ordinary skill. 

If the skin is to be dressed, it is sent to one of the fur dressing 
houses, of which there are many, and made into a neckpiece, for 
about $28 or $30. 

Now the man who raised the fox and had the skin dressed for the 
few dollars mentioned above, can afford to sell it much cheaper than 
the man who retails it in some large city after it has passed thru 
three or four hands. Besides this, the wearer knows the fur is 
genuine and not dyed when purchased direct from the farmer. 



FOX FARMING AS A BUSINESS 

To the business man or office employee, tired of inside work or 
whose health demands that he get '"back to the land," fox farming 
offers a pleasant prospect and a profitable occupation, at which he 
has every chance of success if he gives his attention to the work 
at hand. There is nothing that the average person cannot grasp 
under a competent instructor, and a year of study will fit a person 
for work for himself. Here as elsewhere, careful previous study, 
patience, good judgment and other principles which are employed 
for success in other enterprises, are needed. 

Now we are all after the almighty dollar and there is no person 
who wants to toil from morning to night for a laborer's wage when 
he can make a moderate investment, spend a few hours a day in 
attending to his business, and reap from twenty-five to a hundred 
per cent profit and probably more. 

Of all the other live stock industries of the world, silver fox 
farming surpasses the best. There is no heavy work or long hours 
and the rancher becomes "a student of the science of breeding — a 
most fascinating study." 

The cost of keeping a pair of foxes for one year amounts to 
about Fifty Dollars. Foxes give birth to as many as nine puppies 
at a litter and have young once a year. 



To the man who wishes to make an investment only, and not 
become a rancher, the prospects are as good. He may buy his foxes 
and leave them in the ranch where they were purchased, to be fed 
and cared for the same as the other foxes, for a reasonable charge 
per year. 

Now let us see for a moment what a pair of foxes is capable of 
producing. I have a female which gave me twenty-four puppies in 
the last four years. Twenty-four foxes is twelve pairs. Twelve pairs 
if sold for breeding purposes at the modest price of $1,500.00 per 
pair, would yield $18,000.00. This female will breed, barring 
accidents, for six years more, and should produce, despite her 
growing age, as many more foxes and as much more money. She 
and her mate must then lay down their lives and give up their glossy 
pelts to be worn by some New York lady who must pay in the vicin- 
ity of $3,000.00 for them when made up. Thus it can be easily seen 
what the value of a breeding pair of foxes really is. 

Fox farming today is no get-rich-quick speculation, however, that 
a man can drop a few thousands ol dollars into and become rich 
over night, but a sound investment, a profitable industry, and a 
business in which any one may become engaged. 



FUTURE OF THE SILVER FOX INDUSTRY 

I have great faith in the future of the Silver Fox Industry, and in 
fact, it has always looked good to me. 

When I was only five years in the business I had people ask me 
how long I thought it would last. The same question is being asked 
me very often today. My answer to these questions is that every year 
I have disposed of the entire supply of puppies I have had for sale. 
I find that each year others are learning about this most attractive 
business, and desirous of getting into it. Michigan is a large state, 
but I am selling foxes in many other states, east, south and west. The 
country is large; the business is practically a new thing here, only 
a few farms and few foxes. Just consider for a moment. There are 
approximately 110,000,000 people in the United States today, and 
each year shows a steady increase. These people like to live well; 
they make money and spend it freely. They want the best automo- 
bile and jewels that money can buy, and the best furs as well. They 
realize that they are going this way but once and try to get the most 
out of life as they go along. There are a great many rich people 
and what do a few silver fox skins amount to with them? \el how 
many genuine silver fox furs do you see on the street? During 
my stay in the south during the past winter, 1 did not see one silver 
fox fur worn, except by my wife and daughter, by the thousands of 
ladies in all the fashionable resorts I visited, but I did see a great 
many who would like to have them, and no doubt some day will. 



There is a desire by this class of people to wear something that 
is distinctive and uncommon, and the lady who goes out on the street 
with such furs knows full well that she will be envied by all. They 
are worn by the nobility in England and France, and are a mark of 
distinction, because the silver fox fur is the most valuable in the 
world. The reason it is so costly is because it is a freak of nature, 
and cannot be successfully imitated. A dyed skin with a few white 
hairs sewed in to imitate the silver, is very cheap looking and quite 
apparent even to the inexperienced eye. 

^"Besides, the world needs furs, and the world's natural supply is 
becoming depleted at an alarming rate. As the population increases 
and new areas are opened up, the denizens of the forest and lonely 
places become pushed back farther beyond the pale of civilization. 
Once the annual harvest of furs outnumbers the increase, then the 
exhaustion of that natural resource has begun. And the trend toward 
exhaustion, while slight at first, becomes increasingly rapid. The 
problem of perpetuating the silver fox has been solved while others 
must go headlong to extinction and breeders have at last begun 
to offset the natural shrinkage. Thus in the near future it will have 
not only its own place to fill, but also ihat occupied now by others." 

* Silver Fox Farming. — F. L. Rogers. 




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